UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.
For every child, hope.
ln a region where most of the COs are periodically or permanently confronted with emergencies, and a large amount of CO budgets are emergency funds, a Regional Chief of Emergency is essential. The importance of this is enhanced by the need to support resilience and ensuring a strong humanitarian development nexus at country level, and ensuring the contribution of emergency response to regional Key Results for Children.
She/he will contribute to the development effectiveness results of the ROMP, providing high quality technical assistance, quality assurance/oversight, promoting partnerships and advocating for equitable humanitarian action in all areas relevant for children, with special attention for the areas for which UNICEF has cluster leadership.
She/he ensures effective representation and active participation of WCARO in the regional IASC and contributes from the angle of emergencies to the promotion of an inter-country participatory knowledge management environment for sharing of information, lessons learned and best
practices, as well as studies and researches, evaluations and studies through CoPs, WCAR intranet, country exchanges, webinars, and regional network meetings.
He/she contributes to quality assurance and oversight of cluster approaches and implementation of other humanitarian reform related action and provides support to COs to ensure an adequate level of emergency preparedness response in line with the CCCs, with a particular focus on DRR.
She/he supports the Regional Director's oversight and management of emergency preparedness and response through the management of Emergency Management Team meetings; and coordinates the contribution of all RO sections to humanitarian preparedness and response through the management of Emergency Technical Team meetings and Technical Emergency Management Team meetings with Country Offices and HQ.
How can you make a difference?
- Initiate and contribute to risk analysis of trends and possible emergencies in the West and Central African Region providing recommendations and advice on emergency preparedness and emergency response to the Regional Office, EMOPS NYHQ and concerned Country Offices. ln coordination with PME section and programme colleagues, contribute to provide support to CO s in conflict analysis, conflict sensitive programming; and resilience programming.
- Support WCAR Country Offices in the implementation of the emergency preparedness (through the Emergency Preparedness Platform) in line with the UNICEF preparedness procedures and the Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies. Review Country Programmes, and Country Programme Strategy Notes to include preparedness.
- Support WCAR Country Offices in the implementation of emergency response and coordinate RO/HQ support, with frequent visits to affected areas interact with the Country Office, the UN Country Team, other partners and allies to assess the programme progress, identify major problems and constraints, advise on the implementation of the cluster approach and advocate participation of concerned parties and beneficiaries. Keep the Regional Director and the relevant Country Representatives informed of emergency preparedness status and progress. As requested, represent UNICEF in meetings, missions and other large fora to discuss emergency operations and to provide substantive information.
- Support WCAR Country Offices in the application of humanitarian-development-peace nexus approaches, including through the coordination of regional resilience programming.
- Assist the WCARO HR to identify suitable emergency staffing support to Country Office. Provide guidance, leadership and support to staff under his/her supervision and evaluate performance for achievement of established goals and objectives.
- Consult, coordinate, and liaise with international, multi and bilateral agencies, donors, government counterparts, NGOs and other groups to advocate children's well-being, protection and interests in emergency and promote organizational goals and objectives. Ensure the needs of children are taken into account in the preparation and launching of inter-agency appeals.
- Contribute to organizational efforts to develop global strategies, methodologies, policies and procedures on emergency assistance.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Education: Advanced university degree in the social sciences or other related field
- Work Experience: At least 10 years of progressively responsible professional work experience in emergency programme development, management and evaluation, of which at least five (5) years should be in a managerial level in emergency programme operations.
- Skills:
- Maturity, ability to take decisions under pressure, and political/cultural sensitivity.
- Ability to work as a senior member of a team
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English and good working knowledge of French required
Desirables:
- Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency.
For every Child, you demonstrate...
UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.
UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.
Remarks:
As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female are encouraged to apply.
Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.
UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.
Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.
Special Notice on UNICEF office relocation:
UNICEF and other UN Agencies will be moving soon to the new United Nations House in Diamniadio, 30 kilometers from downtown Dakar. The name of the duty station for this position will remain Dakar, Senegal.
